Rubber Snakes
by WEASLEYL0VER
Summary: Perce, thanks for ratting me out to mum. You rock don't ever change - and I'm sorry dying your hair bright green. Fred.' Written for Reviews Lounge Birthdays project.


**Written for the Reviews Lounge Birthdays project.**

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As Percy Weasley paced down an alley in Hogsmeade, groups of staggering wizards and witches caught his eye. Chants of sheer joy were being carried throughout the town. Fresh tears stung his eyes, he cleared his throat and tore his glance away the happy groups.

The warm glow of the Leaky Cauldron beckoned him inside. Percy had reached his destination. Music from inside leaked into ears, he had time to listen to a few lines when the light, summer breeze swept the tune away. 'The Ghost Whisperers' had been making music for decades; when they finally broke up in 1977 it seemed like a miracle for most people. When they reunited 6 years ago, not many people understood why. No one really enjoyed their music as it, felt like to Percy, that their music would make your ears bleed if you listened to them to much, but not tonight... probably never again would Percy dislike their music. He only knew one fan that portrayed an interest in the ancient band 'The Ghost Whisperers'.

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_"Keep your mouth shut about this Perce, please?" Begged his younger brother, Fred. Percy looked into his pleading, brown eyes and could see that he would rather die than let any other brothers find out his secret. "Please Perce, if George found out I like them... and you know, kind of dance-" Percy held up his hand, signalling him to stop. He'd seen the scene once and did not want to picture his brother bouncing around the room, shrieking and singing the lyrics to a song older than himself and even his father, again. _

_"It's fine, Fred, really." He nodded at his brother and Fred beamed, placing a hand on Percy's shoulder. "Thanks mate."_

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Percy could almost feel the warmth of Fred's hand on his shoulder and his voice in his ear, but that was impossible- it was only a memory. One of the only he had left.

Entering the Leaky Cauldron, the bell above the door rang but the noise was too loud for it to be heard. The fall of Voldemort's anniversary, was that today? Obviously, why else would Percy be here? Banners hung from all corners of the room stating the celebration, balloons suspended magically in midair. The pub looked much cleaner than usual, the floor was mopped and the cobwebs were gone.

He carried himself to the bar, "alright, Perce, m'love. Your usual I presume?" A blonde haired bar lady asked him in a squeaky voice. Her bob bouncing as she moved closer to him. The scent of her breath smelt highly of mint and Percy concluded that the thing she was chewing was indeed muggle chewing gum.

"Please Beatrice, no lemon today." The bar lady nodded but Percy's eyes were elsewhere, scanning the room of people. He saw old and young, groups and pairs. He seemed to be the only person by himself. In the far corner, the other side of the bar sat a large group of women that seemed to be celebrating something other than the anniversary of defeat... and loss.

A long, brown haired woman sat on a chair isolated from the group, her face hidden by the book she was reading. Percy could just make out the gold laced writing on the cover. _Pride and Prejudice. _He'd never heard of the book before. The woman's and Percy's thinking was broken as another young lady snapped the book closed. Through the noise, he could not hear what they were saying but noticed they looked very similar, though their hair was exactly the same colour the woman who'd closed the book, hair was tied up but seemed shorter. They shared the same tanned skin tone and nose shape.

Before he could stop staring, the woman he'd noticed first was walking towards him, but stopped metres away from him and placed her book on the bar. She turned to Beatrice, "another round for table 8 please?" The woman spoke with an air of grace, her perfume's scent tickling Percy's nose. "How is your party going then, Audrey?" Beatrice asked her as she sorted out the order. "Much rather be at home, but you know me!" He noticed he was still staring at her because she'd looked at him out of the corner of her green eyes. Percy looked away rapidly and took a swig of his drink.

When he thought it was safe he moved his head slightly so he could read the author of her book's name. _Jane Austen, _he'd never heard of her either. "She's a muggle author," Audrey noticed Percy's eyes looking at her book. "Jane Austen was a very famous novelist in the 1800s. My mother is a muggle; she gave it to me for my birthday." She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"Happy birthday," he congratulated her, his voice cracking. Percy shone a shade of red the Weasleys were famous for. "Thanks, it isn't my birthday today though. That was a few weeks back. I was in Tibet for my birthday on the 7th. Me and a group of friends went there to teach the few magical children that are too poor to get to a school, they have there. Most of my friends are still there now, I had to come home as my Mother and sister wanted to see me as they missed my birthday."

Interested by the story Percy urged her to go on, "what did you teach the children?" Audrey cleared her throat, "history of magic," she giggled. "You probably think that is the dullest-"

"-History of magic!? That was my favourite lesson." Percy beamed at her. Shocked, Audrey smiled back, "really? Mine too of course."

Percy felt the heat rise to his cheeks, "are you planning on going back?" Audrey shook her head, "no I need to figure out what I plan to do. I mean I've just turned 21 and still live with my mother." Now it was Audrey's turn to blush, "oh Merlin, I cannot believe I just told you that!"

Percy chuckled, "no need to worry, I wish I had been smart and lived longer in my parents home, but I left a year after I graduated Hogwarts." Audrey drew a breath, "you went to Hogwarts? Was it a good school?" Percy, again, chuckled, "yes - the very best. What school did you go to then?"

"My Uncle John taught me and my sister. My dad would have but he was killed when I was young." Percy's mouth became incredible dry and he took another swig of his drink, something in his head clicked and before he could stop himself the words fell out of his mouth, "Voldemort's doing?"

Audrey, wide-eyed, looked at the man she had met moments ago and spoke as quiet as a mouse, "but how did you know?" Percy whipped his head round fiercely, and began apologizing for his actions at once. "No, no it is quite alright- I never asked your name?" Percy mopped his forehead, "Percy Weasley."

"Audrey Harris." She briefly introduced herself. "It is quite alright Percy. I'm not sure on all the details but it was the well-known death eater Bellatrix Lestrange that carried out the murder. Hey wait, did you say Weasley?" Percy nodded. "Your mother is Molly Weasley, the one who-"

"Yes the very one. I am so proud." Percy beamed. His own mother had killed the bitch, Bellatrix Lestrange. Head to head, his mother had won. "Please thank her for me." Audrey protested.

"Certainly," the man obliged. "You must be proud of your younger brother too, Ronald, is it? He was the one that helped Harry Potter, wasn't he? One of his best friends I am told, with a young lady. Hermione Granger? I read all about them!" Audrey smiled and Percy nodded. "Oh yes we are very proud of Ron and of course Harry and Hermione, they are both part of the family". A silence fell between the two...

Audrey spoke timidly and in a whisper, "I also read about your other brother, I am very sorry for your loss. He sounded so brave." Percy's eyes became glazed and he smiled at his new friend - a lump forming in his throat. He cleared his throat, "he was... he did not deserve that."

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_"You will apologize to your brother, young man, and you will pay for Percy to have his hair changed back to its original colour. He did not deserve that!" Molly Weasley shoke her finger in front of her fourth oldest son. Fred Weasley nodded slowly, "yes mum," he turned to leave uncovering an evil grin as he left._

_Fred walked into his bedroom he shared with his twin brother George. George was laying upside-down on the bed reading a magazine. He noticed Fred and rose to his feet. "So are you grounded?" Fred shoke his head, "do you have to do more chores?" Fred shoke his head once more and looked at his brother with menacing eyes. "Oh no, you have to apologize!" _

_Fred nodded and George sighed and lay back down. "If your doing what I think your going to do, which I know you are, your just going to get in more trouble for doing it, bro"._

_"Who cares, you gotta live life on the edge, little one. Live your life to the full, that's what I always say..." he laughed as he rummaged through his wardrobe. "I thought your motto was 'h__ard work never killed anyone,  
but why chance it?' Dear brother?" George asked._

_Fred laughed and ran out the room with a pair of rubber gloves and a bag of rubber snakes. "It still is, you can have more than one saying... well I can anyway..."_

_Fred had managed to apologize in a lovely way. First he moved all of Percy's important objects; he used gloves just in case Percy checked for finger prints. And he filled Percy's bed with rubber snakes. _

_Percy couldn't sleep in his bed for weeks and thought he was going mad for months. A note lay on his pillow that he read before he got the shock of his life._

_'Perce, thanks for ratting me out to mum. You rock don't ever change - and I'm sorry dying your hair bright green. Fred.'_

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His left hand fell to his pocket, his hand twitched as he felt inside. He pulled out an olding piece of parchment; he unfolded it and read it over again.

_'Fred'. _Gone. Gone forever.

Audrey watched Percy and spoke to him softly, "are you okay Percy?" The man smiled, though his cheeks seemed to be changing and his eyes watering. "Ye-," his voice squeaked so he cleared his throat, "yes I'm fine thanks, I just have to go".

Percy rose from his seat, quickly putting on his green leather jacket. He turned to leave when Audrey caught his arm. She pushed a napkin in his hand, "see you later, maybe." Audrey smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears before she picked up her book and left for her sister and friends.

As Percy walked over to the door he unclenched his hand and took out the napkin. He read the message. It seemed to be a telephone number.

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**And that's how Percy met his future wife. Awwh.**

**Please review.**

**Alica Santoyo.**


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